The V4IoT Teacher Handbook is published! The Handbook aims to empower K-12 teachers in the four Visegrad (V4) countries, the ASEM region and beyond and inspire teaching and learning in an innovative, engaging, and interdisciplinary way.
Teacher training and teacher professionalisation are indispensable for innovating STEM teaching in the 21st Century. The V4IoT project led by the ASEFClassNet Team offered experiential Teaching & Learning opportunities for participating teachers and students. Between September 2021 and December 2021, about 35 secondary school teachers and their students participated in a collaborative capacity building programme, which included thematic trainings on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), 21st Century Skills, and Climate Change as well as technical trainings on how IoT, Big Data, and AI can be embedded in a teaching & learning context. Schools of participating teachers were provided with cutting-edge technological equipment that allowed them to monitor and analyse climate change and weather patterns through joint data collection, such as wind speed, air temperature, rain rate, solar radiation, barometric pressure etc. A common technical platform connected all schools and enabled an interactive teaching & learning environment that transcended borders and allowed teachers and students to discuss, jointly explore and identify areas for collaboration.
You can read and download the full Handbook !
Participating teachers worked in teams to build 5 interdisciplinary Teaching Modules on the following environmental topics:
(1) Wind: The Module tackles the weather phenomena of wind, its impact on air quality and how wind can be used as an alternative source of energy. The Module guides students to collect data linked to different wind properties, including wind speed, strength, and direction as well as its relation to atmospheric pressure, and explores the impact of wind on other weather phenomena, people’s environment, and health. To connect the topic with their local environment, students must explore wind conditions in different geographic locations in Visegrad countries and assess the feasibility of setting up a wind park in their region. They also have to predict areas of risk for air pollution in their region depending on seasonal winds.
(2) Rain: The Teaching Module on Rain casts the light on climate change and how it affects the intensity and frequency of precipitation. Teachers and students examine the importance of rain for the environment and human life and discuss examples of extreme weather and precipitation conditions, either heavy rainfall events or droughts. Students also learn about water as a scarce natural resource and how to use water economically and more responsibly in school, at home and in other areas of life. The Module takes an interdisciplinary approach, with the STEM lesson being conducted in the form of a role play and the set-up of a court trial. Students switch into the roles of the accused, the prosecutor, defence attorneys, witnesses and the judge on a legal case that focuses on “manmade violations and crimes” against water: water pollution, water wastage and changes in the water cycle.
(3) Temperature: This Teaching Module on Temperature explores the influence of rising temperatures on human health. Students observe and analyse how high and low air temperatures have different impacts on the human body and well-being and learn about potential life-threatening conditions caused by extreme heat or cold. Lesson elements also examine how temperature affects the movement of air and how this affects air pollution. As a key exercise, students are assigned to collect data and conduct research to develop evidence-based policies and actions. The goal: Keep their local communities informed, healthy and safe!
(4) Solar Radiation: The Teaching Module on Solar Radiation tackles the importance of solar radiation for life on earth and examines the different forms and types of solar radiation. In particular, the Module focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of solar power to generate electricity. Students work on the challenge to make their school a pioneer in green energy. They evaluate the option of setting up solar panels on campus and analyse whether their schools can entirely rely on renewable solar energy for daily operations. At the end, they must create a proposal to their school leadership & management.
(5) Barometric Pressure: The Teaching Module on Barometric Pressure tackles elements of various types of weather conditions and examines how atmospheric pressure has an influence on temperature, rainfall and wind. By tracking and reading the barometric pressure using the IoT device, students will learn about atmospheric pressure variations and how to forecast short-term weather changes. They also get insights into the impact of atmospheric pressure on our health & breathing, daily life activities and even scientific experiments. The Module introduces students to the diverse job scope of a meteorologist and invites them to join a competency race to test their real-world readiness. Who has the knowledge & skills to become the school’s meteorologist?
During building these Modules teachers and students were not only engaged in finding data driven answers to specific weather-related questions but also critically reflected on the relationship of their findings to the various SDGS. In addition, they were encouraged to work in a setting that fosters the 21st Century Skills.